The interfacing of force-feedback devices (haptic interface devices) to computers adds touchability in computer generated interactions, called in the state of the art and herein, computer haptics. Two major components of computer haptics are collision detection of virtual objects with the haptic interface device, and the determination and display of appropriate force feedback to the user via the haptic interface device. Prior art data structures and algorithms applied to haptic rendering have been adapted from non-pliable surface-based (two dimensional) graphic systems. These prior art techniques and systems are sometimes inappropriate due to the different characteristics required for haptic rendering of three dimensional or volumetric soft bodies.
It is an object of the present invention to develop software and hardware suitable for haptic rendering of volumetric soft bodies.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide apparatus and processes for providing computer generated haptic renderings that accommodate the needs of volumetric soft bodies through recursive processes with efficient management of computational resources and viable process and apparatus choices.
A still further object of the present invention is to provide collision detection and deformation presentations along with appropriate force feedback to a user to provide virtual interactions of a stylus and a volumetric soft body.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a computer haptics process and apparatus that operates in real time.